


i'm sorry I left, but it was for the best

by bi_habibi



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon, all hurt no comfort babey, i wrote this last night cause i was sad and now everyone gonna be sad, its based on a theory i have rip, poor zuko losing aang then sokka, why am i so mean to him? bc i love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:13:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28092960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bi_habibi/pseuds/bi_habibi
Summary: At some point on their trek, Sokka took Zuko‘s hand in his and gave it a squeeze. No words were spoken, they would be lost in the blizzard, but Zuko knew what he meant.No matter what happens, I love you.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 85





	i'm sorry I left, but it was for the best

“Korra has been kidnapped!“ Tonraq‘s voice rasps out, loud and desperate.

Zuko snaps awake and so does Sokka. The fear and desperation in Tonraq‘s voice rips a hole in Zuko‘s heart. Korra was just a kid, barely five years old. His mind flashes back to Aang, making Zuko promise he would protect Korra no matter what. Sokka made the same promise when he joined the White Lotus all those years ago. They barely glanced at each other when they bolted out of the home they shared in the Southern Water Tribe, but they knew what each other were thinking, the Red Lotus wouldn‘t take Korra from them. Aang had suffered enough in his lifetime, his new life shouldn‘t suffer too.

Entering into the night, the air was cold and sharp, just like Korra‘s cries and screams in the distance. Zuko‘s heart twisted in a way he had never felt before, his mind briefly flashing the thought if Izumi was the one being taken. He pushed that away and charged after Tonraq, Sokka next to him, his boomerang in one hand, his sword strapped to his back.

The snow whipped in a fury around them, making it even harder for them to spot the Red Lotus. Years ago, this terrain would have been easily broken through by Zuko, however, he was older now, the snow stuck to his legs, freezing them and making movement harder. Sokka would never admit it, but it was the same for him. At some point on their trek, Sokka took Zuko‘s hand in his and gave it a squeeze. No words were spoken, they would be lost in the blizzard, but Zuko knew what he meant.

_ No matter what happens, I love you. _

There was fighting in the distance and it was coming closer. Zuko could make out the shapes of White Lotus members fighting against the Red Lotus, as they ran closer, they could see Korra in Zaheer‘s arms, wriggling and struggling to break free. Tonraq was headed straight towards Zaheer, water surround his arms as he prepared to attack. Zuko lit his hands, the rainbow flames of his dragon fire coursing strong with fury. P‘Li spotted him and Zuko and aimed, the sound of the combustion bender echoing before the blast headed towards them. Sokka dove into Zuko, forcing him out of the oath and the snow where they had stood turned into a ball of fire, revealing the rocks and burnt grass underneath.

“She has to be taken out first,“ Sokka hissed, climbing off Zuko before helping him up.

Zuko cracked a small smile, “How‘d you do it that first time?“

Sokka winked, “Watch and find out.“

Zuko watched in amazement, as always since the Western Air Temple, as Sokka aimed the boomerang and threw it with such precision that it landed squarely against P’Li’s third eye, stunning her enough for her to be taken down in one motion by three White Lotus members. Sokka caught the boomerang with ease as it flew back to him, Zuko saw the image of the fifteen year old he knew in that moment, not the old men they now were. The moment of awe was broken by the sound of Korra shrieking, her wail piercing their ears with the terror that filled it. Zuko turned and saw Tonraq on the ground, attempting to block attacks by Minghua, a terrifying waterbender, without second thought, Zuko rushed over to aid him. The dragon fire danced along his hands and arms, filling the night sky with its bright colors. Sokka went after Zaheer, the only non-bender of the group. Zuko approached Minghua from behind, easily slicing her water tendrils in half with a simple blast of fire. She turned to face him, rage written all of her face.

“We  _ will  _ have the Avatar,” she hissed.

“Over my dead body,” Zuko replied.

He summoned more fire, letting it rage around him in sheer anger, turning into a fire tornado to push Minghua back, her water turning to mist upon the contact. Tonraq recovered quickly, letting ice form into a sharp knife on his hands, the rage of a father trying to protect his daughter fueling him, launching himself at Minghua, one of the icicles piercing her shoulder, causing her to shriek. One of the water tendrils that had formed around her shoulder collapsed onto the snowy ground. Tonraq locked eyes with Zuko, who nodded. Tonraq took off after Sokka, who was currently battling Zaheer, sword to sword. Before Zuko could move to go with them, Minghua managed to use her other water tendrils to wrap Zuko into a choke hold. He felt the water turn to ice around his throat and let out a strangled cry.

Minghua let out a sharp, cold laugh, “The great Firelord caught by me, your time is up.”

“Okay, but you’re wrong!” Sokka shouted.

In one swift movement, Sokka sliced the ice with ease, the sword flashing against the moonlight. Zuko was dropped instantly, coughing and wheezing to catch his breath. Minghua stumbled backwards and Sokka dropped to Zuko’s side.

“Our time isn’t up, not yet,” Sokka murmured, as he pulled Zuko up.

Zuko nodded and Sokka grinned, there was just Ghazan and Zaheer left to be taken down. Zaheer still had Korra in his arms, with Ghazan protecting them. The earthbender was powerful, able to bend lava in the Southern Water Tribe like he was back in the Earth Kingdom.

“Lavabending?!” Sokka yelled, “Seriously?!”

Zuko just shrugged in response, reigniting his hands in flames and charging towards Ghazan.

“No!” Sokka yelled, “Go help Tonraq! I’ve got him!”

Zuko looked at his husband, wide-eyed, unable to say anything as Sokka charged past him, sword in hand, leaping effortlessly over a stream of lava that had appeared between them and the Red Lotus. Zuko turned his back to Ghazan and Sokka and ran towards Zaheer, trying to calculate how to attack him without hurting Korra. Zuko made his decision, letting a flame sweep close enough to Zaheer to attempt to startle him into dropping Korra. That plan didn’t work, but Zaheer was quickly becoming outnumbered by Zuko, Tonraq, and other White Lotus members. Zuko did a quick glance, seeing Sokka and a few others locked in battle against Ghazan, who had been backed up against a wall of rock. With the two now separated, it made it much easier to take them down, almost too easy. Zaheer seemed to have realized he was on the losing side and let go of Korra, who was immediately scooped up by Tonraq.

“Ghazan! We have to  _ go! _ ” Zaheer yelled.

There was a loud crack, the wall of rock that he had been backed up against crumbled under his motion, sending rocks cascading down on Sokka and the other members. Tonraq and Zuko ran towards the rubble, with Tonraq placing Korra down to help move rocks. Zaheer had run off, so had Ghazan. Korra, dazed and still scared, began to cry again as bodies of some of the White Lotus members were pulled from the rubble. Tonraq picked her back up, covering her eyes.

“Get Katara,” Zuko ordered, “And get Korra out of here.”

Tonraq nodded and took off towards the Tribe, Zuko glanced at the remaining White Lotus members.

“Go after Ghazan and Zaheer, catch them!” he yelled.

The others ran off without hesitation, Zuko removed the remaining rocks, dread filling his stomach, as he managed to get Sokka out. He was bloodied and bruised, blood was trickling down his face and there was a shard of rock sticking in his side.

“S-Sokka,” Zuko choked out.

Sokka opened his eyes and stared at Zuko.

“Did...did we save her?“ Sokka asks, voice soft.

Zuko holds him tighter, tears streaming down his cheeks, “Yeah, yeah we did, fire lily. We did.“

Sokka grins, his smile beaming bright in the light of the Moon, “Good.“

Sokka lets out a weak cough, the red of blood staining his blue clothes darker and darker, sticking to Zuko‘s hands as he weeps.

“Sokka, look at me it‘s going to be okay, just hang tight. Katara is on her way.“

Sokka shakes his head, “I never told you I loved you enough.“

Zuko tries so hard to hold back a sob, “You never had to say it. I know, I know you love me.“

Sokka reaches up and cups Zuko‘s cheek with his hand, brushing a tear that was falling. Zuko grasped Sokka‘s hand on his face, kissing it softly.

Sokka made a strange choking noise and Zuko met his eyes, the bright blue eyes shining with tears.

“I don‘t want to go.“

“You‘re not going anywhere. Katara is almost here.“

He stared at Zuko for a moment, like he wanted to say something, but then Sokka‘s breath shuddered and he closed his eyes.

Then,

Nothing. 

He went still.

Zuko clutched him tighter, “No, no, no, no, Sokka come back!  _ Come back! _ Katara is nearly here, please I love you, please come back!“

He shakes Sokka lightly, but he doesn‘t stir. Zuko breaks, sobs heaving through him.

“Come back, I don‘t want you to go, please come back!“

His wails and shrieks echo through the tundra, Yue‘s light on them unwavering. He screamed and cursed, until his throat was raw. Katara was next to him, he hadn‘t heard her arrival. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing his head into her chest, her own sobs mixing with his.

“He‘s with Aang now, he‘s safe and happy,“ Katara said, her own voice broken and raw.

Zuko nodded, pressing one last kiss onto Sokka‘s forehead, “I know.“

**Author's Note:**

> you can scream at me in the comments or on tumblr @kahtara lol   
> its based on the fact in book 3 zuko mentions sokka and him helped save korra from the red lotus so it made me think since thats the last we hear of sokka, he died in that battle and yeah heres the fic for it


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